Embracing Change
Transitioning to a new career can be a scary and complex process, especially for the average person. Financial obligations and having a specific set of current skills can deter some people from making the move. I’m sure we’ve all thought at some point “I don’t enjoy my job”, “I’ve progressed as much as I can” or “I’m bored and need a new challenge”.
I am now on my 3rd significant career. So I thought I’d write about my own journey, what prompted my career changes and how I managed to navigate the waters.
From Call Centers to Digital Marketing
To start a bit of background is needed. As a young working professional, I bounced around a few different roles trying to find something that I was good at and two, something I’d enjoy. I started at the modern-day factory work, and call centres. And no it wasn’t me calling you up asking you about your gas & electric or conducting a survey. I started in an alarm monitoring centre, your alarm or CCTV activates and we call you/police/fire essentially.
I then moved on to Experian as a credit report advisor. However, it would be in my first few weeks of joining Experian that I realised what I wanted to do. To be an advisor there you first had to go through 6 weeks of training, which is what I decided would be the career for me, Training.
Unfortunately, the training roles at Experian were few and far between. Probably because the training team was fantastic and very few left. But I did manage to bag myself a secondment to the team for 6 months. Passed my AET qualifications and set to work.
Towards the end of my secondment, my mental health took a downturn as I was dreading going back as an advisor. My eldest brother once said to me “When we worry or fear something, our brain kicks into instinct mode. Flight or Fight”. I however flew. I flew all the way to Australia for a year
When I realised it was time to come back to the real world, I had to think of what I could do for work. I wanted to be a trainer but had little experience. I decided to go to a different alarm monitoring centre, where I had experience. But how was I going to get into training?
Well to be able to monitor CCTV, you need to have an SIA licence. I could combine my knowledge, experience and qualifications. I took a basic operator role and when I started, the training they had was appalling. Luckily I knew the rules and regulations. But for someone who is a brand new starter, it could spell mistakes all over. I became friendly with the operations manager and helped out with overtime where I could. Once I cemented myself within the company, I mentioned my qualifications and previous experience, I could design a proper training program for new starters.
I was given my chance and was made the company trainer, this was a newly created role for me. I designed a new starter program, cross-trained all current staff and did the SIA licence training. It was a success. However, down the line, I was bored. Fewer new staff was needed, less people left/were fired. All current staff were fully cross-trained in all aspects and everyone had SIA licences. I suppose this is where my first significant career change comes in.
Finding My Place in Recruitment
I was having a drink one night with an old schoolmate and mentioned my current situation. He suggested I come work at the same company as him in temporary recruitment for HGV drivers. The soft skills that I acquired through my training career would be transferable, but I would have to take a pay decrease to start with. I could manage the decrease in salary, so I took the role of an entry-level recruiter.
I built myself back up again earning promotions, salary increases and more responsibility. I hated the job. I could start work at 4 am and not finish until 10 pm at night. The anxiety of relying on everyone going to work every day, and if they didn’t try to find a replacement last minute, lying to people just so you had a backup in case someone let you down. Targets increase when you’ve not hit previous ones, which affects your commission each month. After 2 years I was done, I had to change, there was no question or I think I could have had a breakdown.
The Leap into Digital Marketing
And here we are now digital marketing. Starting at the bottom again, but I couldn’t be happier right now. Over the last few weeks, it’s made me realise how much a support system I have. Yes, the purse strings are going to have to be adjusted, but money isn’t everything. I’m sure my friends and family can buy me a drink or two.
Now there are a few key points I want to expand upon within my journey, for you to consider if and when you decide to change careers.
Key Takeaways from My Career Transitions
Firstly identify your skills and experiences in the current role you have, and Assess Your Professional Background. Once you’ve done that you can see which ones would be useful in a different career, this includes hard and soft skills, Leveraging Your Current Skill Set. Which you can see I did when I combined my training qualification and my alarm monitoring experience
Critical Thinking and Soft Skills are valuable in every career. Working on developing skills like problem-solving, communication, and adaptability could improve your chances over the next person. Research the job market as well, do you need further education? Does your current skill set align with your desired career? How many jobs are there in that field?
Practical Steps for Career Transition
Depending on your desired career you might need to acquire new skills or enhance your existing ones. Develop Relevant Skills and Knowledge, this could involve further education, an online course or self-guided learning. Helping you to bridge any skill gap or gain industry-specific knowledge. Websites like Coursera, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning offer a wide range of courses that can help you acquire the necessary skills for your new career. Before I could start training I had to be qualified
Connect with people in your desired field. Networking is a great way to gain advice if you are unsure what qualifications you need or what your next step might be. It could also lead to possible job opportunities. You could speak to your friends and family like I did and see if they know or have anything. Your connections may be able to offer part-time work or internships, Gaining Relevant Experience could be critical in a successful transition. In today’s digital age, having a strong online presence can be a significant asset. Update your LinkedIn profile and consider creating content relevant to your new career path.
Financial Obligations always play a major part in anything you do in life. Whether that’s professional or personal. Calculate all your living bills per month, rent/mortgage, water, gas & electric, council tax & food. Add a little extra on top for social & personal use (can’t be all work and no play). This will show you the minimum you can live on each month.
Can you afford to take an Entry-Level Job? You will likely have to start from the bottom which may mean taking a decrease in salary. While it might be a step back, gaining that industry experience will be vital to help you elevate further down the line. I was lucky in the fact that I have been able to take entry-level roles and still be able to live.
Set Achievable Goals define clear, realistic, and achievable goals for your career transition. This helps in maintaining focus and may prevent you from getting disheartened. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from friends, family or professionals. A good Support System could be crucial in success. Whether it’s just to vent or for advice, maintaining your mental health is key. Especially if you’re juggling your current role with either internship or further education. A healthy Work-Life Balance and Support System I don’t think has ever been more important than the world we live in now. If it wasn’t for the people that encouraged me to change from my previous role I don’t know where I would be
What are your interview skills like? Be ready to discuss your career change and how your existing skills and experiences make you a suitable candidate for the new role. Emphasise your eagerness to learn and grow in the new field
Above all else Be Patient and Persistent understand that achieving career success in a new field might take time. Stay committed to your goals and adapt as necessary.
